Comments on: Tylosaurus: Popular Culture’s Oceanic T. rexhttp://cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/tylosaurus/
for Bigfoot, Lake Monsters, Sea Serpents and MoreTue, 31 Mar 2015 01:31:16 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1By: traindriver138http://cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/tylosaurus/comment-page-1/#comment-88040
Wed, 15 May 2013 01:10:14 +0000http://cryptomundo.com/?p=20559#comment-88040it is estimated that there is between 3.71 million and 5.97 million currently unknown oceanic species (largely due to our inability to build craft capable of withstanding the extreme pressures deep within our oceans) when compared to the total 1.2 million known species world wide you can see how little we actually know about our ocean, it is very likely that a prehistoric beast could be lurking in our oceans
]]>By: Opalmanhttp://cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/tylosaurus/comment-page-1/#comment-75241
Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:47:41 +0000http://cryptomundo.com/?p=20559#comment-75241I recently became interested in the Monsterquest episode featuring an unclassified (or at least unidentified sea creature) frequenting the estuaries near Florida’s Turkey Point Power Station. I see that this has been a topic of discussion here for some time now. In spite of this late date I am chiming in with what I hope is some anecdotal evidence at least raising serious concerns as to the creatures identity as being that of a manatee.

I live on the same latitude but the opposite side of the Florida. We have many manatees here in Charlotte Harbor and adjoining areas. They are frequently seen from the dock on the canal I live on. One of my family’s favorite activities in colder winter weather (70’s low 80’s) is to visit Crystal River 50 miles to the north and legally swim with the manatees that huddle there in the crystal clear spring fed waters. Visitors wanting to swim with the manatees there are required to attend an hour long briefing by Florida Fish and Game where strict procedures and protocols are described along with vary scary explanations of what might happen to individuals who violate the rules. In any case over the 15 years we have lived here we have witnessed hundreds of manatees and actually snorkeled or scuba dived for sustained periods within 10 inches of these slow, lumbering, and tolerant animals. Not one time have I ever seen a manatee that resembles the creature depicted in Gene Sowerwine’s videos? The video subject’s estimated size of fifteen feet (sonar analysis of unsighted specimen) is well outside the normal maximum length associated for the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). A manatee of 12 feet is extremely uncommon in Florida; in fact, I’ve never heard of even one attaining a length of ten feet. More conclusively though; the movements of the video’s subject creature is totally unlike those of a manatee. The quick sinuous movements depicted in the video are quite dramatic; and this is, to me, more convincing than even the unique un-manatee-like appearance. There exist videos that were never shown to the Monsterquest people; (because of Sowerwine’s justified suspicions regarding the MQ producers less than noble intentions). One of these videos clearly depicts a creature resting on the waters surface which looks very much like a crocodilian, specifically an American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), which by the way, is endemic to the region and successfully reproducing in ever growing numbers. Yet the video subject here is clearly not a crocodilian, as there are no visible scutes, but rather a smooth skin surface. All crocodilians have obvious and characteristically large scutes. (Scutes are the enlarged armor like pointed plates appearing on the dorsal surfaces, feet, and tail. Undoubtedly Sowerwine knows what an alligator or crocodile looks like. He is a long time Florida resident and lifelong fisherman. To suggest that he doesn’t know what a crocodilian looks like is ridiculous.

In reviewing the available material available that might support the sighting of a creature similarly described (except for size) I was referred to German submarine U28’s Captain George-Gunther Freiherr von Forstner log entry describing a creature of similar physical characteristics apparently injured by an underwater explosion subsequent to the sinking of HMS Iberian.

While I could find no audio reading or log entry of the specific incident; the writings of Von Forstner clearly impress as to the unlikelihood of even slight exaggeration save gross fabrication. So this log entry must by itself suggest more than strongly for the existence of a similarly featured creature; unknown, uncommon or rare and certainly unclassified. As for the supposed numbers of such creatures we would be foolish to conclude that their numbers are few or great.

Always interesting is the clamorous attempts made by the government agencies involved to authoritatively attempt to squash all possible controversies regarding unclassified wildlife. To show a mutilated manatee tail paddle and claim it is of the same creature videoed by Sowerwine ids silly. The difference is obvious.

]]>By: shownuffhttp://cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/tylosaurus/comment-page-1/#comment-58428
Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:43:48 +0000http://cryptomundo.com/?p=20559#comment-58428Now isnt this what they say they see in Turkey i think it is. I seen it on youtube first then MonsterQuest had it on. Looked pretty cool. Hope it comes out that it is real.Respect to all..peace.
]]>By: springheeledjackhttp://cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/tylosaurus/comment-page-1/#comment-58422
Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:08:30 +0000http://cryptomundo.com/?p=20559#comment-58422There have been at least a couple of “alligator” descripted account of sea serpents in the Atlantic Ocean over the years.

Heuvelmans catalogued one that happened during World War I in the North Atlantic (Heuvelmans, In the Wake of Sea Serpents–ppg. 395-396) where upon (and I’m paraphrasing here) a British Steamer was sunk and in an explosion tossed an animal into the air: crocodile in shape, sixty feet long, four limbs with webbed feet and a long tail.

Scary looking critter—regardless of whether it is still around or not.

I have no problem imagining this as one of the reasons Plesiosaurs reduced in population.
Would not want to meet one in a “dark alley.”

]]>By: Alligatorhttp://cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/tylosaurus/comment-page-1/#comment-58371
Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:56:27 +0000http://cryptomundo.com/?p=20559#comment-58371Mososaurs are distant relatives of monitor lizards. The skull and skeletal structures, are very similar the major difference is in the foot/flipper adaptation. Think of them as sea-going Komodo dragons. Several species of monitors such as the Nile and Asian water monitor are semi-aquatic. Their behavior would provide a clue to the behavior of mososaurs. Monitors have no crests on their backs so it seems highly unlikely mososaurs would too. If they were still around we’d know it.
1) They dwell near the surface as they would surface for air periodically.
2) They would be highly aggressive
3) There would be clear evidence on prey items
4) They are BIG
5) There would have to more than a handful to successfully breed all these millions of years.
It would be exciting if they were around but on the other hand, we might be glad they are not, especially if you vacation on the beach.
]]>By: Sordeshttp://cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/tylosaurus/comment-page-1/#comment-58367
Sat, 22 Aug 2009 10:07:20 +0000http://cryptomundo.com/?p=20559#comment-58367As far as I know the dorsal ridge of Tylosaurus was based on a misinterpretation of the fossil. Interestingly there is no kind of dorsal ridge in extanct varanids or snakes too. In fact there is no reason to think that mosasaurs had any kind of scaly crests on their backs. Furthermore their scales were extremely small and showed some convergence to the denticles of shark skin, so it seems not very probable they had some kind of unhydrodynamic crest.
]]>By: Lee Murphyhttp://cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/tylosaurus/comment-page-1/#comment-58366
Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:55:17 +0000http://cryptomundo.com/?p=20559#comment-58366The idea of extant Mosasaurs is a fascinating one, and I always thought descriptions of the “Gambo” carcass neatly fit members of that species. However, I think it’s very likely the Mosasaurs were highly aggressive, even taking on large prey animals, that if they were still around, I think we would have seen major evidence of them a long time ago.
]]>